Penjylvania, Philadelphia. 275 



to be the mod likely. For, fome credible 

 people allured me, that they have had their 

 faces wetted with it all over ; though they 

 flood above eighteen feet off from the ani- 

 mal. The urine has fo horrid a flench that 

 nothing can equal it : it is fomething like 

 that of the Crane/bill or Linnceus's Geranium 

 robertianum, but infinitely flronger. If you 

 come near a polecat when it fpreads its 

 flench, you cannot breathe for a while, 

 and it feems as if you were flifled ; and 

 in cafe the urine comes into the eyes, a 

 perfon is likely to be blinded. Many dogs 

 that in a chace purfue the polecat very 

 eagerly, run away as fafl as they can when 

 they are wetted : however, if they be of 

 the true breed, they will not give over the 

 purfuit till they have caught and killed the 

 polecat , but they are obliged now and then 

 to rub their nofes in the ground in order to 

 relieve themfelves. 



Clothes which have been wetted by this 

 animal retain the fmell for more than a 

 month; unlefs they be covered with frefh foil, 

 and fuffered to remain under it for twenty 

 four hours together ; when it will in a great 

 meafure be removed. Thofe likewife who 

 have got any of this urine upon their face 

 and hands, rub them with loofe earth 5 and 

 fome even hold their hands in the ground 

 for an hour -, as warning will not help them 



S 2 fo 



